Credit cards are undeniably an integral part of Whistler's world, allowing tourists to spend money at stores and restaurants without the need for wads of cash.

But according to the Canada's Competition Bureau (CCB), businesses in this country are paying over the odds in usage fees to credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard. Compared with their peers in Europe, New Zealand and Australia, Canadian merchants pay double the fees, between 1.5 and three per cent or more of each purchase.

And some Whistler merchants believe they are being hit even harder because so many credit cards used at the resort come from visitors using foreign or business credit cards that are subject to higher fees.

Cathy McGeough, who co-owns Splitz Grill with her husband Paul, says their restaurant accepts credit cards but has a sign that says, "Please consider cash/debit payment."

"We try not to make people feel bad about using their credit cards, but at the same time if they ask I will certainly explain to them that free trip they're getting with their points card is coming out of my pocket and every other merchants' pocket," she said.

McGeough estimated she was currently paying between $1,200 and $1,500 in credit card fees per month. This, she said, was largely due to the high volume of "non-qualifying" credit cards, defined in her statements as "business cards, foreign business cards, foreign corporate cards, foreign purchasing cards, infinite cards, premium U.S. cards, and from supreme cards," among others.

"Almost every card (used in Whistler) is what they call 'non-qualifying'," she said. "In Whistler you get so many foreign points cards, so many business cards, every kind under the sun... those are called non-qualifying cards. So almost every card you get is non-qualifying and they charge more.

"Obviously, some businesses make more money than we do, so they're paying more. You think of a higher-end restaurant and absolutely most people do not pay with cash or debit."

McGeough says that in Splitz's case they are trying not to let it influence pricing decisions.

"But we're going to have to look at it. Everything is going up and if we don't raise prices it could kill us," she said. "A lot of my suppliers don't take Visa... because it is costing them too much money."

Wayne Katz owns two Whistler fast-food outlets that are cash only, Zog's Dogs and Mogul's Coffee Shop, and a restaurant that does accept credit cards, Gone Village Eatery.

When he started Zog's about 17 years ago, the decision was made to make it a cash-only location to move sales more quickly. With Mogul's the concern about credit card charges became important.

"With Mogul's... the charges of Visa and Mastercard, because it's a penny and nickel business that we operate, it is prohibitive, that two or three or four per cent that they charge," he said. "We put in an ATM machine so we are making money from it instead of losing charges to Visa and Mastercard."